Tying up some loose ends

So I had knit morning today. It was wonderful, when I get a job again I’m really going to miss this.

As of right now though, it looks like the Knit Mornings may be held at my house. Our group has kind of out grown the corner of Starbucks and we’re starting to have to sit on the little side tables. I offered up my living room in passing because it’s big, we’ve got 2 futons and a comfy chair plus other padded chairs, it’s very open with lots of daylight… and a fire place. Plus, it’ll help me keep the place clean!

So that could be fun, it may be starting next Friday, but I have to keep an eye on Ravelry for that. We also may be taking a field trip up to Spinrite for their sale… heee!!! Bags of Regia, and other yarns for CHEAP! Now if only I had money… hmmm…

Anyway, I figured I would tie up some loose ends I have laying around, like that lovely list of Christmas Gifts I have to the side.

I don’t have all the pictures of stuff yet but here’s the end result.

I got everything except Alistair’s blanket done… so I didn’t give Jude’s blanket either, instead I made 3 baby hats with the initials of my 3 pseudo-nephews engraved on them.

The blankets I’m giving to my Mom on Saturday to give to the moms of the boys.

So I have a couple of pictures right now ( I do have more, but I haven’t got them on the computer…) of some recent projects, I just want to say that this year is probably going to end up being a year of socks for me… I’ve decided to work through my sock stash if only to get to have more yarn for my blankie (which I’ll talk about in another post).

Here we go…

First up are my Dad’s slipper socks (Karin’s look almost identical only they’re green-gray and smaller).

Pattern:Slipper Socks from Paton’s Website (Free Pattern)

Yarn: Classic Merino Wool

Size: Small

Needles: 4.5 mm dpns

Started: September 17 2008

Finished: October 2008

I’ll just put this bluntly, I HATE this pattern. These socks were originally supposed to be for Karin, my Dad’s wife, I made the “small” size and it came out big enough for C’s feet. I may have had an issue with gauge but I don’t think so.

Now I did learn a new style of heel for these socks which was really quite interesting. However, there are two little 2×2 cables that go down the side of each foot. Up on the cuff/leg the pattern tells you to twist them one direction, but after the heel, it tells you to twist them another.

Then the amount of stitches you are supposed to kitchener from the top of the foot to the sole isn’t even so you either have to instinctively know to decrease at a certain point, or do what I did and fudge it by moving stitches around.

It makes a nice sock, I will say that, but if you don’t know what you’re doing, find a different pattern because this one will give you a headache.

Pattern:Selbu Modern by Kate Gagnon from Ravlery (Free Pattern)

Yarn: Black: Paton’s Kroy and Variegated: Artsygal Yarns in Phoenix

Size: Small

Needles: 2.5 mm dpns

Started: December 10 2008

Finished: December 17 2008

Granted, I had a lot of time on my hands to make this, but it was truly a really fast knit. This pattern is written for 2 solid colours, but I had some left over Artsygal yarns from my monkey socks and decided to try it out.

This actually had a very simple chart to follow and it turned out beautifully. However mine doesn’t really look like the beret style it’s supposed to be, and I think this is because I used slightly thinner yarn than called for in the pattern.

Still this has become my daily hat, and is totally a favourite… it’s going to take something major to bump this off my first grab list.

So that’s a quick catch up, hopefully I can get some new pics on the computer soon… because heck knows I’m going to have a ton of socks to show you in the near future.

So with that, I’ll leave you with a picture of my demented Hydrangeas who don’t want to grow properly.